Head of Shared Services (KSA) - Saudi National

Sanabil Venture Studio – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Sanabil Venture Studio is a leading venture-building platform focused on fostering innovative startups in Saudi Arabia. We empower entrepreneurs by providing them with the resources, expertise, and operational support they need to build high-impact, technology-driven businesses that transform industries.

We are seeking a strategic and results-driven Head of Shared Services to establish and oversee the core support functions that drive operational excellence across our ventures. This role will be responsible for managing both in-house and outsourced service providers, ensuring that each venture receives high-quality, cost-effective, and scalable support. The ideal candidate will be experienced in leading multi-functional teams, negotiating with external partners, and optimizing shared services to enhance efficiency and drive business growth.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive Shared Services framework, ensuring seamless support for ventures at different stages—from ideation to post-carve-out.
• Oversee key functions under Shared Services, including:
  • In-House: Talent Acquisition, HR
  • Outsourced: Legal, Marketing, Public Relations Officer (PRO) Services, Finance/VAT
• Define and monitor KPIs for shared service functions, ensuring performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Establish standardized processes and best practices to maintain service consistency across all ventures.
• Ensure alignment between Shared Services and venture-specific objectives to optimize operational efficiency and strategic growth.

• Identify, evaluate, and negotiate agreements with third-party vendors to deliver high-quality services.
• Manage contracts, ensuring compliance, cost control, and performance accountability.
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with external service providers, ensuring their deliverables align with the venture studio’s growth strategy.
• Address service quality and reliability challenges, holding vendors accountable for meeting SLAs and performance standards.
• Oversee data security and confidentiality protocols for outsourced service providers handling sensitive company and venture-related information.

• Optimize shared services to reduce costs while maintaining high service quality.
• Develop and manage the Shared Services budget, ensuring efficiency without compromising performance.
• Implement scalable service models to support multiple ventures at various growth stages.
• Monitor and mitigate risks related to compliance, contracts, and vendor performance.

• Explore opportunities to package and commercialize Shared Services as a value-added offering to other venture studios and startups in KSA.
• Develop business models and pricing structures for external shared services offerings.
• Strengthen Sanabil Venture Studio’s position as a key enabler in the Saudi startup ecosystem by providing high-quality operational support to external partners.

The Head of Shared Services will need to navigate the following challenges effectively:

• Cost Management & Budget Control – Ensuring outsourced services remain cost-effective while maintaining high standards.
• Service Quality & Reliability – Managing expectations and ensuring consistent performance from external providers.
• Contract Negotiation & Compliance – Securing favorable contract terms while ensuring regulatory adherence.
• Scalability & Flexibility – Adapting services to the dynamic needs of ventures at different growth stages.
• Alignment with Venture Goals – Ensuring service providers understand and align with long-term business objectives.
• Communication & Coordination – Managing multiple stakeholders across various functions.
• Data Security & Confidentiality – Safeguarding sensitive information across internal and external teams.

• 10+ years of experience in a leadership role within Shared Services, Operations, HR, or Business Support functions, ideally in venture studios, corporate accelerators, or multi-venture organizations.
• Proven expertise in vendor management, outsourcing, contract negotiation, and business operations.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in budget planning, cost control, and financial modeling.
• Deep understanding of Saudi regulations, labor laws, and compliance requirements related to HR, legal, and finance.
• Experience working in fast-paced, high-growth environments, ideally within venture capital, startups, or corporate innovation.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills to navigate complex operational landscapes.
• Fluent in Arabic and English, with strong written and verbal communication abilities.

• A unique opportunity to shape and lead the Shared Services function within a high-impact venture studio.
• A dynamic, fast-paced environment with exposure to multiple industries and innovative startups.
• The chance to build a scalable business unit that could become a revenue-generating service in the future.
• Competitive salary and benefits package aligned with experience and industry standards.

This role is a Saudi National (KSA) exclusive position due to regulatory requirements.

If you are a strategic, solutions-oriented leader with experience in building and optimizing shared services, we invite you to apply and contribute to the success of our ventures.

Apply Now! 🚀